Loki: Dying For Real
by Evelyn McKay
Summary: A repentant Loki is dying of fever and Thor has come to say goodbye. One shot.


_I had to try writing a sad death scene like this and I had a need to see Loki die a good death with his brother Thor at his side. Hope you all enjoy and please do review!_

Thor found that he was refusing to listen. He heard what the guard was saying but he didn't want to acknowledge it. It couldn't be, he wouldn't allow it to be.

His eyes closed tight and he tried to focus, he had to pull himself together, but it was hard, so hard! He had to be calm, now was not the time to be losing his cool, now was the time he would have to be strong, it had been hard in the past, never more so than now.

Quietly, almost painfully, the king of Asgard nodded his head to show the guard he had heard.

'Two minutes,' he said and leaned against the rail.

Two minutes was perhaps a cost he could not afford now. Time was running and with a long breath he turned and crossed out of the room with determination. He walked down the hall, through the corridor and paused at the beautiful, golden door, with it's heavy bolt. It didn't matter how sick the prisoner was, the security had to remain, it had been on Thor's own orders.

Thor drew back the heavy bolt and with another long breath he pushed open the door and walked in. The room was almost empty. There was a small table with a large vase of flowers and across, placed so it might face the window was a bed, large and kingly, with curtains that were drawn back. Beside the bed was a table on which lay countless bottles of assorted medicines and untouched trays of dinner. Soup that had gone cold and fruits that had withered.

Thor could hardly see any of them, his eyes only went to the waisted figure which lay on the bed. Long, black hair sprayed over the pillow, green eyes half shut with the haze of sickness, the laughing smile faded, Loki was like a shadow of himself. One of his own illusions which you might expect to vanish any minute to show the real one, standing, laughing behind you. But that wouldn't happen now, Loki was too weak to even attempt his old magic.

'Hello brother,' said Thor quietly and realised his voice shook with emotion.

Loki turned his head and a feeble smile crossed his lips,' hello,' he said with a croak, his lips cracking as he spoke.

Thor crossed over and sat on the edge of the bed. Close up Loki looked even worse, pale with fever. So white and drained it hit Thor like a shock, even though he had deep down suspected it for some time, he now knew. Loki was dying. Dying of fever. Simple, such a quiet way for the troublesome mischief maker to go.

Thor took up a glass of water from the bedside and put it to Loki's lips. His brother allowed for a small sip and then sealed his lips.

'I won't need that soon,' he said,' soon I won't need anything but a place to sleep.'

'Don't talk like that,' urged Thor, his throat tightening,' you will be fine, you'll get better.'

'No,' Loki shook his head with effort,' not this time, this time I'm really going Thor.'

His brother thought of the times he had already so-called lost him in the past. The pain of it came back to him. Not again, he couldn't do it again! Not after Frigga had been lost to the sword of Kurse and Odin had gone three years ago now.

Thor thought again of the shock, finding Loki enthroned in Asgard, Odin a prisoner in a cell. Loki had not had the heart to kill him. It had all lead to the old story, defeating Loki, locking him up again. Then had come the impossible, Loki's repentance. No one had believed it at first, but he had worked hard to prove it, had gone so far as to beg Odin himself to forgive him. Then they had known and since then...

It had been almost too good to have Loki back again. He had been a prisoner, doing time in his cell, not allowed to work anywhere, being too untrusted, but they had managed to get some time to spend together. Simple time, two brothers with the past behind them, talking of the future. Loki had spoken often of his sorrow for the past and when Odin died it had broken his heart.

Still they had gone on, together, always. Then three short weeks ago the fever had come, consuming, incurable and since then Thor had known deep, deep down, hidden in his heart that they were both only waiting for the end to come.

'You have to get well,' said Thor,' there are still so many things I want to talk about together, I can't talk to a shadow.'

'I'm not much more than that now,' murmured Loki,' the future is before you Thor, you and your wonderful wife, Jane, have a wide future ahead, filled with happiness. My only peace left here is to go. I have hurt too many, done too much harm, I need to move on.'

'I need you to stay,' mumbled Thor.

Loki shook his head,' I asked you to come now,' he said quietly,' because I can feel it Thor. I have never felt this weak, this near the end and I need you here now.'

Thor gripped his hand, the world was going misty before his eyes,' okay,' he said,' what can I do?'

'Just be here,' Loki gave a moan, closing his eyes, trying to deal with the final pain,' I'm happy brother,' he said after a moment, opening his eyes again,' happy, I have made my peace, I can go now.'

Thor swallowed the choke in his throat,' okay, okay,' he said,' you go easy, you've done well these past years.'

Loki smiled and was about to answer, when a spasm of pain passed over his face and his hand clutched at Thor's with the final agony of death. His throat contracted and his eyes clenched shut.

Thor gripped a hand under his head,' it's okay,' he said, trying to have strength in the tone while his eyes streamed,' it's okay, it'll pass.'

Loki moaned softly, but then the spasm seemed to stop, relaxing, calming itself. Hie eyes opened wide and looked into Thor's face, calm and peaceful,' repentance,' he said quietly,' thank you for showing it to me brother, now I may have... peace,' the last word was no more than a whisper, spoken with that final breath.

Another spasm passed over Loki's face, a gasp for the breath that wouldn't come and his head fell back on the pillow. His chest stopped and Thor felt the hand that had gripped his so tightly, relax.

'No,' Thor shook the lifeless body, desperate, broken,' no Loki! Brother! NO!'

But his brother gave no reaction. Thor shook him the more, but then raised his eyes and looking up saw his brother's face. It was peaceful, full of all he had found in his last years of repentance.

Thor bent his head then and sobbed, but it was the grief of loss only, for he knew Loki was better off now than he ever had been before. He was dead and gone, but gone to a better place, the only one where peace was still open to him.

He had repented, there would be a reckoning still to pay for his crimes, but the reward would come after, greater and more beautiful than all the pain.

'I'll see you there when my time comes brother,' he murmured through his tears,' I'll fight hard and live just and see you there when I too have to go.'


End file.
